Riverside boys track advances

Wednesday

May 2, 2007 at 12:01 AM

CENTER TWP. - Chuck Kotuby didn't want to leave anything to chance as he led his Riverside boys track and field team into the WPIAL playoffs Wednesday afternoon.But, believe it or not, Kotuby and his squad left the Center High School grounds thinking they had lost.

CENTER TWP. - Chuck Kotuby didn't want to leave anything to chance as he led his Riverside boys track and field team into the WPIAL playoffs Wednesday afternoon.

But, believe it or not, Kotuby and his squad left the Center High School grounds thinking they had lost.

"I was keeping track of the score, but they told me it came down to one place," Kotuby said. "And I found out where that place was - Tyler Kemp's in the long jump. I thought I had him finishing third, when he finished second."

The Riverside boys, coming off their third straight undefeated section season (8-0), advanced to the next round of the playoffs after edging past host Center, 76-74, and topping South Side, 82-68. The Panther boys also whipped Beth-Center, 130-20. There were no results available for that meet.

Coach Royann Winfield's Riverside girls squad split a pair of playoff-opening meets, upending South Side, 94-56, while falling to Center, 89-61. The girls finished section meets this season at 7-1.

For the Riverside boys, Jonathon McElwain (1,600- and 3,200-meter runs) and Denes Veres (shot put, discus) were double winners against Center and South Side, while Ray Sowinski swept the hurdling events (110 and 300) against Center and Codi Jackson captured the 100 and 200 against South Side.

Veres established a Center High School stadium record in the shot put with a heave of 57 feet, 4 inches.

For the Riverside girls, Karen Yurkiw was a two-time winner (200, 400) against Center and a three-time victor (100, 200, 400) against South Side. Maria Bruno captured the high jump and triple jump in the victory against South Side.